Hackable

Simple Pie Crust Hint: Freeze It

A simple pie crust is what you need when you’re making a single-crust pie–like pumpkin pie or pecan pie.

Here’s the way to make sure that the crust holds its shape. Once you’ve rolled out the dough and placed it in a pie tin (or Pyrex dish), put it in the freezer while you prepare the filling. You can even freeze it overnight if you’re making a filling that needs to cook for a while. There’s no need to thaw it before cooking.

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Edible Christmas trees are simple to make and delicious to eat. All you need is pita bread, guacamole and some pretzel sticks. You can add tomatoes or sour cream for some extra pizazz. Make your own colorful and healthy Christmas appetizer with these simple ingredients. Cut pita bread into wedges […]

Shaving cream is something you probably use every day, but did you know that it’s good for more than getting a close shave on your legs? Here’s a use you might not have considered until now–it removes makeup stains from your clothing. The next time you find traces of your foundation–or […]

Clear nail polish has long been used to stop a “run” in stockings–it goes on easily, dries quickly and acts as a glue to keep threads close together. You can also use this wonderful substance to keep buttons from popping off your shirts and sweaters. This works for two-hole and four-hole […]

Did she just give you a fake number? You’re out with the guys, having what seems like a genuine–deep, even–conversation with someone you’d really, really like to see again. Finally, you get up the nerve to ask for her number and she gives it to you. But is it a […]

Update your manicure the simplest way possible–no appointment required! When it’s been a while since your most recent mani-pedi, and you don’t have time to book an appointment, there’s an easy way to cover up the “bare” nail near your cuticles. The best part of this beauty hack? Glitter! Use nail glitter […]

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Remove cherry pits before you serve a bowl of cherries and you won’t have to worry about your kids chocking on the pits–or spitting them out at their siblings. First, wash the cherries. Use a narrow-necked bottle, like a wine bottle or an old-fashioned soda bottle. If the cherry has […]

Keep ice cream soft and ready for the whole family to enjoy with one simple trick: a freezer bag. No one likes to wait for ice cream to soften–especially kids! When you bring your favorite frozen confection home from the store, put it in a Ziploc bag before you put it […]

Keep basil fresh for up to a week with a simple cup of water. This method is similar to keeping a bouquet of cut flowers fresh. First, trim the stems of the basil with a sharp knife. Then, place the bunch into a glass of water. Cover with a plastic […]

Portion snacks before you indulge yourself so you’ll never have to say, “I can’t believe I ate that whole bag of cookies!” It’s easy to keep reaching into a bag of chips or a package of chocolate chip cookies until there’s nothing left. And then you feel bad. Enjoy your snacks […]

Cook pasta with less water and less mess. Most packaged pasta advises you to boil something like six quarts of water before adding the dry pasta. Then, once the pasta is cooked, you end up pouring all that water down the drain (and sometimes getting burned by the steam while […]

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Keep gravy warm without using up precious real estate on your stovetop! During the holidays, when you’ve got friends and family mulling around in the kitchen and “helping” you cook, stovetop space is in demand. Rather than keeping your gravy warm in a stove-top saucepan, put it in a Thermos. […]

A microwave oven is supposed to make things easier, not more complicated. But there’s only so much you can fit on that little spinning plate in the middle. And so, you sometimes have to cook one meal–or even one part of a meal–at a time, which sort of defeats the […]

Guacamole, fresh salads, and baked avocado eggrolls made famous by BJ’s… delicious! The humble avocado adds flavor and zest to all sorts of recipes. Of course you want to cook with the green gems, but the price of avocados continues to rise… and who wants to pay for an avocado that–once […]

Cranberry ice adds a festive flair to your drinks, appetizer platters and ice buckets at the holidays. It’s so simple to make, too. You can buy a bag of fresh or frozen cranberries at the grocery store. There’s no need to cook them, but be sure to rinse them! Add […]

Hang a wreath on your front door without using a single nail. There are lots of good reasons to put up a wreath–it’s festive, fresh and a lot less expensive than decorating an entire tree! But, if you rent, or if you have a really nice front door, you probably don’t […]

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What's Hot

Edible Christmas trees are simple to make and delicious to eat. All you need is pita bread, guacamole and some pretzel sticks. You can add tomatoes or sour cream for some extra pizazz. Make your own colorful and healthy Christmas appetizer with these simple ingredients. Cut pita bread into wedges […]

Remove cherry pits before you serve a bowl of cherries and you won’t have to worry about your kids chocking on the pits–or spitting them out at their siblings. First, wash the cherries. Use a narrow-necked bottle, like a wine bottle or an old-fashioned soda bottle. If the cherry has […]

Keep ice cream soft and ready for the whole family to enjoy with one simple trick: a freezer bag. No one likes to wait for ice cream to soften–especially kids! When you bring your favorite frozen confection home from the store, put it in a Ziploc bag before you put it […]

Keep basil fresh for up to a week with a simple cup of water. This method is similar to keeping a bouquet of cut flowers fresh. First, trim the stems of the basil with a sharp knife. Then, place the bunch into a glass of water. Cover with a plastic […]

Presenting a very useful red cup hack. You know that famous red cup… the Solo. It’s ubiquitous at beach parties and BBQs. But did you know the lines on the cup actually mean something? Keep this in mind at your next beach or backyard party: the first line is a […]